Port Wine and Cherry Salad

This recipe comes from the Southern Living 1986 Annual Recipes. It sounds delicious. I'll try it for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Cook time is chill time.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 1 4-cup mold; 1 3/4 cup dressing

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) can dark sweet cherries, pitted, undrained
• 2 (3 ounce) packages black cherry gelatin
• 1  cup boiling water
• 3⁄4 cup port wine
• 1  cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1⁄2 cup pecans, chopped

• Mayonnaise Dressing

• 1  cup mayonnaise or 1  cup  salad dressing
• 3  tablespoons  orange juice
• 1  tablespoon port wine
• 1  tablespoon  grated  orange rind

Directions

1. For the Salad: Drain cherries, reserving syrup. Add enough water to syrup to make 3/4 cup liquid, if necessary. Cut cherries in half, and set aside.
2. Dissolve gelatin in 1 cup boiling water. Add cherry liquid and wine; stir in applesauce. Chill until the consistency of unbeaten egg whites; fold in cherry halves and chopped pecans. Spoon mixture into a lightly oiled 4-cup mold. Chill until firm. Unmold salad and serve with mayonnaise dressing.
3. For the Mayonnaise Dressing: Combine all ingredients; chill at least 1 hour.